Mercedes ‘working hard’ on upgrades to challenge McLaren

Mercedes is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to close the gap to McLaren, with trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin confirming the team is pushing hard on upgrades for its W16 ahead of F1’s grueling upcoming triple-header.

After the first two rounds of the season, Mercedes sits second in the Constructors’ standings, with George Russell third in the Drivers’ Championship.

While Toto Wolff recently claimed that the Silver Arrows are currently the “second fastest team,” Shovlin admitted that McLaren is setting the benchmark.

"We’ve shown that we’ve got a car that works well over a range of circuits," said Shovlin in the team’s post-China debrief.

"What we’ve also seen, though, is that McLaren are probably the team to beat. Max is pretty quick. Ferrari certainly don’t look like they’re far behind and they’ve had a bit of bad luck in the last few races. So it’s a pretty tight fight at the front."

Shovlin emphasized the urgency of the situation.

“We’re working hard to try and bring development to the car because, as I said, we think that we need to close that gap to McLaren in particular.”

With upgrades in the pipeline, Mercedes aims to unlock additional performance from the W16 to keep pace in what promises to be a fiercely contested season.

A Test of Versatility Across Three Circuits

The sport’s upcoming triple-header – Japan, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia – presents a diverse set of challenges, and Shovlin is optimistic about the team’s prospects.

“We’ve got three very exciting circuits. So Suzuka, that’s a fantastic track. Very flowing, very fast. A lot of drivers have that as their favourite on the calendar,” he said.

Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin with George Russell.

The Japanese Grand Prix will also mark a significant milestone for rookie Kimi Antonelli, who faces the daunting Suzuka layout in just his third F1 race.

“First time for Kimi [Antonelli], though, and that’s quite a tall order for such a young driver to be going there on their third race. But he’s excited to drive that,” Shovlin added.

The schedule then shifts to familiar territory in Bahrain, where pre-season testing offered valuable insights.

“Then on to Bahrain. Well, we know Bahrain because we’ve been testing there. It has its own challenges, but hopefully we’ll be at least in the fight for podiums,” the Briton noted.

The triple-header concludes in Saudi Arabia, a street circuit with its own unique demands.

“And then Saudi Arabia. Well, that’s a street track. Quite smooth. Again, a relatively new tarmac and that throws up its own challenges. So three very different circuits,” he concluded.
As the triple-header looms, Mercedes’ focus is clear: refine the W16, adapt to the diverse circuits, and give Russell and Antonelli the tools to compete at the front.

With Shovlin and the Brackley squad “working hard” to bridge the gap, the stage is set for a thrilling battle in the races to come.

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